How did they respond? I have one teenager who loves them and another who can’t get past ‘the bad special effects.’ Which episodes have your children watched?
I really like the episode (don't know the name) where the guy (Franklin) who's vehemently opposed to gambling becomes addicted to slot machines, and then one of the slots follows him around yelling at him. The Invaders is another episode that I thoroughly enjoy.
That slot machine episode is called The Fever. The Invaders is another great one. I'm always surprised at how they can have an entire episode with only one actor and still keep everyone's attention.
"One For The Angels" is one of mine as well. Ed Wynn was a unique show business specimen- a professional comedian who also possessed excellent chops as a serious dramatic actor.
Serling, Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont were three of the greatest writers ever to write for TV and the Zone benefitted from their brilliance.
Agreed. On all points. I have bought those books that compile most of the scripts from The Twilight Zone just because those guys really were so good. I mean you can just read the scripts and the story still works. They were just so great.
I always have loved the twilight zone marathons. I think i’ve seen all episodes but i still enjoy. Marathon on Thanksgiving Day has me in the kitchen w/a small tv perched on the counter as i prepare the food w/usual Twilight zone marathons. The men in the family watch football in the other room. One thing i liked is seeing now famous movie stars in episodes before they became famous. His daughter Anne is on X formerly twitter. We follow each other. I haven’t yet ditched X. And I see some other substackers still there, too. I guess we’ll hang until either kicked off, shut down or whatever. She goes by Anne Sterling. She comments about her dad. I gather from her info that he was a principled, caring, empathetic person who likely was democrat. Yes, i introduce politics into Twilight Zone. His stories do not align w/other politic. IMO and Anne’s description of her beloved dad.
Have you read Anne's book? I really enjoyed it. I learned so much about her dad and the TV show and her experience growing up with him. I've often wished I could buy the lessons they recorded of him teaching writing. You can find random ones on YouTube and they are full of great insights.
I follow Anne on Facebook, but having her actually following you is really cool. That must be special. Send her a link to this article if you're able to. I'd love to hear what she thinks. I still watch her dad's work on a regular basis and consider myself to be a real fan.
I think you're entirely right about Serling being a Democrat. I'm not sure that's a secret to anyone who has paid attention to various speeches he's given and causes he supported. There's an article I really want to write about how Serling believed all writers should be activists. He really did. There are quotes where he says as much, but Serling was so much more accomplished at it than his modern contemporaries. Yes, sometimes, his points were on the nose and in your face, but he ALWAYS wrapped them in a story. That's the approach writers need to take. You can give people what they consider to be bitter medicine if you present it in the right way and Serling did that better than anyone else.
Thank you for commenting. I enjoyed reading about your Thanksgiving rituals. I'm not really a cook at all, but if I were to ever visit you on prep day I'd be right there sitting next to you and hoping they aired one of my favorites.
This is thread is bringing me back! I love the idea of doing a marathon with my kids. I feel like they would bail on me though. I also liked "The Good Life" about the boy who terrorized his community with his mind powers.
I didn't know that! So terrible! I loved how they let your imagination create the gore/horror of that scene. Just using the shadow of a Jack-in-the Box.I hated the idea that anyone could have that kind of power over others.
I love all the episodes, especially ones with robots, aliens, or monsters on the wing of a plane. If I had to pick one, probably Nick of Time with William Shatner. I wonder how many fans of Twilight Zone also like Black Mirror.
If you manage to catch the others, please let me know what you think. And if you have other episodes that you enjoy more, I'd love to find out which ones speak to you.
"One for the Angels" is a classic for sure; some of my other favorites are "The Obsolete Man", "Escape Clause", and "A Nice Place to Visit." That last one, especially when you realize that the same guy who played Pip is the same one who voiced Bagheera in Disney's animated Jungle Book movie. The way he delivers that last line... oh, that's beautiful.
Those are all great episodes. Escape Clause would have been number 6 on my list. I love all of the episodes (and there are several) that deal with the Be Careful What You Wish For trope.
John, yes i’ll send this to her. I/we? Didn’t realize how much personal experience you’ve actually have about this family. Seems you can fully enjoy Twilight Zone a little more than the rest of us who don’t have your background in interactions and such. No, I haven’t read her book. sorry to say. I’ll find it now, thank you. 🤙🏽
I have never met or interacted with any of the family. I've just watched and enjoyed all of the episodes, read the scripts, sought out Serling's classes and talks on YouTube, etc. Like I said in my earlier comment to you, I really am a fan.
My daughter spotted bad acting, I don't blame her, as I often give stick to Thai actors here. But she enjoyed the story. My son? Well it was difficult to lift his head from GTA on his phone!
Very fun stuff! Now don't get me wrong- I am a fan of the original; it's just that I was in the right place/right time for the reboot, so some of those stories are fresh in my mind.
The 1980’s reboot probably deserves its own post. A lot of obscure but great episodes in that version. Did you know George R. R. Martin contributed to many of the episodes?
I think my favorite episode from that version of Twilight Zone is Shadow Man.
Didn't know that about George RR, but that's not terribly surprising. It really seems like an amazing place to cut your teeth back then.
All those anthology shows kind of blur in my mind, all the way from Amazing Stories to Tales from the Crypt to the Twilight Reboot and more... but all of them were good in their own rights.
How about the modern reboots? I think they're more hit or miss, but they have some really good moments, too. The new Twilight Zone probably had more misses than hits, but there were still some excellent episodes. I wanna say I've seen 2 or 3 other modern reboots too, although which ones escape me at the moment.
I felt like the Jordan Peele iteration was such a missed opportunity. I understand what they were doing in their attempts to modernize old stories so they could introduce them to a younger audience but, man, I wish they had given us 22 original episodes. Yeah, they did put some twists in there but they could have done so much more.
That being said I thought the final episode was a beautiful homage to Serling.
I might be remembering a little too generously, too. I'm glad they're still making them, though, even if they're not like the originals. Someone will come along and make something amazing at some point, and Serling's original concept is just so great. Feels like they are keeping history alive to some extent, even if they're not nailing it or living up to what the show could be.
Serling's combat experience in WWII -- being a witness to random, meaningless death -- was deeply influential on TZ and its ever-lurking sense that life is just a game of chance.
This is a typical article on the topic, but there's plenty more out there.
Just finished reading that article. The references they make to the book written by his daughter Anne is the one I read. Thanks for sharing the article though. It contained a few new anecdotes and presented things from a different perspective than the ones related by Anne.
I haven’t read that article, but I did read his daughter’s biography of him. She speaks about some of the things he witnessed and its impact on his writing. It definitely changed him.
I've introduced my teenage children to the delights of 'Twilight Zone'.
How did they respond? I have one teenager who loves them and another who can’t get past ‘the bad special effects.’ Which episodes have your children watched?
I really like the episode (don't know the name) where the guy (Franklin) who's vehemently opposed to gambling becomes addicted to slot machines, and then one of the slots follows him around yelling at him. The Invaders is another episode that I thoroughly enjoy.
That slot machine episode is called The Fever. The Invaders is another great one. I'm always surprised at how they can have an entire episode with only one actor and still keep everyone's attention.
"One For The Angels" is one of mine as well. Ed Wynn was a unique show business specimen- a professional comedian who also possessed excellent chops as a serious dramatic actor.
Serling, Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont were three of the greatest writers ever to write for TV and the Zone benefitted from their brilliance.
Agreed. On all points. I have bought those books that compile most of the scripts from The Twilight Zone just because those guys really were so good. I mean you can just read the scripts and the story still works. They were just so great.
I always have loved the twilight zone marathons. I think i’ve seen all episodes but i still enjoy. Marathon on Thanksgiving Day has me in the kitchen w/a small tv perched on the counter as i prepare the food w/usual Twilight zone marathons. The men in the family watch football in the other room. One thing i liked is seeing now famous movie stars in episodes before they became famous. His daughter Anne is on X formerly twitter. We follow each other. I haven’t yet ditched X. And I see some other substackers still there, too. I guess we’ll hang until either kicked off, shut down or whatever. She goes by Anne Sterling. She comments about her dad. I gather from her info that he was a principled, caring, empathetic person who likely was democrat. Yes, i introduce politics into Twilight Zone. His stories do not align w/other politic. IMO and Anne’s description of her beloved dad.
Have you read Anne's book? I really enjoyed it. I learned so much about her dad and the TV show and her experience growing up with him. I've often wished I could buy the lessons they recorded of him teaching writing. You can find random ones on YouTube and they are full of great insights.
I follow Anne on Facebook, but having her actually following you is really cool. That must be special. Send her a link to this article if you're able to. I'd love to hear what she thinks. I still watch her dad's work on a regular basis and consider myself to be a real fan.
I think you're entirely right about Serling being a Democrat. I'm not sure that's a secret to anyone who has paid attention to various speeches he's given and causes he supported. There's an article I really want to write about how Serling believed all writers should be activists. He really did. There are quotes where he says as much, but Serling was so much more accomplished at it than his modern contemporaries. Yes, sometimes, his points were on the nose and in your face, but he ALWAYS wrapped them in a story. That's the approach writers need to take. You can give people what they consider to be bitter medicine if you present it in the right way and Serling did that better than anyone else.
Thank you for commenting. I enjoyed reading about your Thanksgiving rituals. I'm not really a cook at all, but if I were to ever visit you on prep day I'd be right there sitting next to you and hoping they aired one of my favorites.
This is thread is bringing me back! I love the idea of doing a marathon with my kids. I feel like they would bail on me though. I also liked "The Good Life" about the boy who terrorized his community with his mind powers.
That boy grew up to play the role of Lennier on Babylon 5. Don't say anything bad about him though or he'll send you to the cornfield.
It was a great episode. An unusually scary one.
I didn't know that! So terrible! I loved how they let your imagination create the gore/horror of that scene. Just using the shadow of a Jack-in-the Box.I hated the idea that anyone could have that kind of power over others.
I love all the episodes, especially ones with robots, aliens, or monsters on the wing of a plane. If I had to pick one, probably Nick of Time with William Shatner. I wonder how many fans of Twilight Zone also like Black Mirror.
I think any fan of the Twilight Zone who isn't put off by the more profane themes and language of Black Mirror is a fan.
Nick of Time is a great episode. In some ways, I actually enjoy that more than Shatner's other episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.
Have you seen the episode The Fugitive? I think you'd enjoy it if you haven't. Here's a summary:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fugitive_(The_Twilight_Zone)#:~:text=Old%20Ben%20tells%20Jenny%20that,the%20stairs%20without%20her%20brace.
I’m not sure if I’ve seen the other three or not, but I just watched “One for the Angels“ recently. Really loved it.
If you manage to catch the others, please let me know what you think. And if you have other episodes that you enjoy more, I'd love to find out which ones speak to you.
Also, hi Samantha! Happy Hanukah!
"One for the Angels" is a classic for sure; some of my other favorites are "The Obsolete Man", "Escape Clause", and "A Nice Place to Visit." That last one, especially when you realize that the same guy who played Pip is the same one who voiced Bagheera in Disney's animated Jungle Book movie. The way he delivers that last line... oh, that's beautiful.
Those are all great episodes. Escape Clause would have been number 6 on my list. I love all of the episodes (and there are several) that deal with the Be Careful What You Wish For trope.
John, yes i’ll send this to her. I/we? Didn’t realize how much personal experience you’ve actually have about this family. Seems you can fully enjoy Twilight Zone a little more than the rest of us who don’t have your background in interactions and such. No, I haven’t read her book. sorry to say. I’ll find it now, thank you. 🤙🏽
I have never met or interacted with any of the family. I've just watched and enjoyed all of the episodes, read the scripts, sought out Serling's classes and talks on YouTube, etc. Like I said in my earlier comment to you, I really am a fan.
My daughter spotted bad acting, I don't blame her, as I often give stick to Thai actors here. But she enjoyed the story. My son? Well it was difficult to lift his head from GTA on his phone!
I'm gonna disappoint the crap out of you and just talk about an episode of the reboot (1986) that I really enjoyed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8WnTIAmJx0
Very fun stuff! Now don't get me wrong- I am a fan of the original; it's just that I was in the right place/right time for the reboot, so some of those stories are fresh in my mind.
The 1980’s reboot probably deserves its own post. A lot of obscure but great episodes in that version. Did you know George R. R. Martin contributed to many of the episodes?
I think my favorite episode from that version of Twilight Zone is Shadow Man.
Didn't know that about George RR, but that's not terribly surprising. It really seems like an amazing place to cut your teeth back then.
All those anthology shows kind of blur in my mind, all the way from Amazing Stories to Tales from the Crypt to the Twilight Reboot and more... but all of them were good in their own rights.
The only problem I had with all of the shows you mentioned is that we just didn’t get enough of them.
How about the modern reboots? I think they're more hit or miss, but they have some really good moments, too. The new Twilight Zone probably had more misses than hits, but there were still some excellent episodes. I wanna say I've seen 2 or 3 other modern reboots too, although which ones escape me at the moment.
I felt like the Jordan Peele iteration was such a missed opportunity. I understand what they were doing in their attempts to modernize old stories so they could introduce them to a younger audience but, man, I wish they had given us 22 original episodes. Yeah, they did put some twists in there but they could have done so much more.
That being said I thought the final episode was a beautiful homage to Serling.
I might be remembering a little too generously, too. I'm glad they're still making them, though, even if they're not like the originals. Someone will come along and make something amazing at some point, and Serling's original concept is just so great. Feels like they are keeping history alive to some extent, even if they're not nailing it or living up to what the show could be.
Serling's combat experience in WWII -- being a witness to random, meaningless death -- was deeply influential on TZ and its ever-lurking sense that life is just a game of chance.
This is a typical article on the topic, but there's plenty more out there.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/12/17/how-experience-combat-of-world-war-ii-influenced-twilight-zones-creator.html
Just finished reading that article. The references they make to the book written by his daughter Anne is the one I read. Thanks for sharing the article though. It contained a few new anecdotes and presented things from a different perspective than the ones related by Anne.
I haven’t read that article, but I did read his daughter’s biography of him. She speaks about some of the things he witnessed and its impact on his writing. It definitely changed him.